In the summer of 2003, MECA is bringing back Ibdaa’s youth, touring eight major cities in the U.S., among which Seattle, Washington DC, and New York. They will be performing at local theaters and visiting with communities.  Ibdaa hopes that they will meet as many people as possible to let their their voices for a just peace heard in these critical times of the history, and to build a bridge of friendship and solidarity.

Dheisheh camp was established in 1949, after the expulsion and flight of more than 750,000 Palestinians following the creation of the state of Israel.  Those that fled to Dheisheh originated from 45 villages west of Jerusalem and Hebron, the descendants of whom comprise the 11,000 inhabitants of the camp today.  A resilient and active community, Dheisheh has a long history of struggle against oppression.  Until the Israeli army’s withdrawal in 1995, the camp was surrounded with a high barbed-wire fence.  Soldiers and violent confrontations filled the alleys, killing tens of residents, while hundreds were injured, imprisoned and disabled for life.  During the peace process years, the worsening plight of refugees was largely ignored in the negotiation framework, bringing a sense of stagnation and desperation to the community.  Since the second Intifada (Palestinian uprising) began in September 2000, Dheisheh has been continuously besieged and invaded by the Israeli army, and losing a number of its residents in the violence.

IBDAA’s youth dance troupe is made up of 18 young men and women, aged 15 - 18.  They perform dance pieces that tell the history, struggle and aspiration of Palestinian refugees by intertwining debkeh, traditional Palestinian dance, and theatrical choreography.

Since its founding in 1994, Ibdaa has performed in over ten European and Middle Eastern countries.  This tour will be Ibdaa’s second visit to the United States, following their successful 5-city tour in the fall of 1999, sponsored by the Middle East Children’s Alliance.
 
Tour schedule

For more information on the performance, to sign up as a volunteer, and to set up media interviews, please contact each city’s organizer or MECA.
 
Tour Headquarters: Middle East Children’s Alliance
Contact: Shirabe Yamada, Project Director, Email: shirabe@mecaforpeace.org

Uda Walker, Media Outreach and Public Relations,
901 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710, tel 510.548.0542, fax 510.548.0543, www.mecaforpeace.org

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